One of the most common errant swings a player of golf makes is a slice. Slicing usually occurs when a player fails to square a face of a golf club at impact with a golf ball because the player does not pronate his trailing wrist before impact with the golf ball. A golf club swing training device can be helpful to correct errors in a player's swing. Golf club swing training devices for players of golf are known. They include, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,188 to Hernberg. Hernberg discloses an attachment having four stationary fins mounted on a golf club which create wind resistance as a player swings the club. However, the resistance generated may or may not be in an appropriate direction for the player as he swings the golf club. U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,918 to Rupnik et al discloses a training airfoil attachment for a golf club having a curved cross-section, attached to the shaft of the golf club to promote the correct swing due to the airflow over the airfoil imparting lift on the convex side of the airfoil. However, this airfoil is fixed with respect to the golf club and limited in its ability to aid in a player's swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,825 to Ruth discloses a sail which when attached to the golf club, raises the wind resistance of the golf club relative to amount of wind resistance exhibited by the club during swinging movements made without the sail. However, this increased resistance is obtained without creating any torque forces on the club. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,625 to White discloses a swing motion device for providing exercise and training having a plurality of collapsible vanes mounted on a shaft that an athlete may grip and swing through the air. The vanes provide air resistance against which the athlete's muscles must work. Each vane may comprise a foldable wire framework covered with a bag-like fabric sheath. When the vanes are collapsed, the device assumes a compact shape for transport and storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,406 to Reichenbach et al discloses a blade extending from both sides of a golf club and attached to a golf club in such a manner that it will stay in the mounted position on the golf club shaft or will rotate depending on how the golf club is swung. However, the device does not kinetically manipulate a player's hands and wrists during the swing to promote the proper golf swing. Furthermore, it does not use wind resistance generated by the act of swinging the club to create the torque in the appropriate direction at the proper time during the swing, and nothing limits the range of motion of movement during a swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,683 to Beutler et al discloses an apparatus having a pair of half blades which do not attach to an existing club. Instead, the apparatus is a stand alone device where the blades can swivel with respect to a shaft. This is designed to provide constant resistive force during a swing by having the half blades remain perpendicular to a swing plane throughout a downswing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,275 to Beutler et al discloses a device similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,683. It too is designed so as to remain perpendicular to the swing plane throughout a players swing or stroke motion, causing a constant resistance for exercising muscles. It does not swivel to create the torque in the appropriate direction at the proper time during the swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,378 to Backus discloses an airfoil to place progressively increasing torque on the golf club during a downswing. However, it attaches to the shaft in a fixed position. While this does aid the player in providing the torque necessary to square golf club at impact, it does not help with other portions of the swing, such as appropriate inertial resistance at the beginning of a backswing and torque during the backswing, as well as the follow through, all of which are important elements of a golf swing. It would be highly desirable to have an improved golf swing training device which assists a player with his swing over a wide range of motion.